


This is Your Heart

by katybaggins



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Awesome John, Awesome Molly Hooper, Big Brother Mycroft, Episode: s04e03 The Final Problem, F/M, I Love You, Minor Sherlock Holmes/Molly Hooper, Molly loves Sherlock, Screenplay/Script Format, Sherlock Loves Molly, john and sherlock are bffs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-25
Updated: 2017-02-25
Packaged: 2018-09-26 20:29:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9921050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katybaggins/pseuds/katybaggins
Summary: What would happen if Sherlock was the one who had to say "I love you" at Sherrinford instead of Molly?





	

**Author's Note:**

> I don't usually write in this script format, so please pardon any major errors. It just seemed appropriate since this is my interpretation of the "I LOVE YOU" scene in the episode if it was flipped on its head.
> 
> Also, I am apologizing to Sherlock in advance for the emotional pain that I put him through. I AM SO DESPERATELY SORRY FOR THIS. Trust me, it hurt ME to hurt YOU.

_Scene: Essentially the same as the episode._

EURUS: Coffin. Problem: _(sarcastically)_ Someone’s _beloved_ is about to die. It will be - as I understand it - a tragedy. So many days not lived, so many words unsaid. Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. Etcetera.

SHERLOCK _(rolls his eyes in exasperation. The word beloved doesn’t register in his consciousness at all because he always misses something)_ : Yes, yes, yes. And _this_ \- I presume - will be their coffin.

_(MYCROFT, being the smart one, catches the “beloved” in his sister’s words. He begins to think about the deeper meaning of it)_

EURUS _(meaningfully)_ : _Whose_ coffin, Sherlock? Please, start your deductions. I will apply some context in a moment.

SHERLOCK _(in full deduction mode as he walks around the coffin)_ : Well, allowing for the entirely pointless courtesy of headroom, I'd say this coffin is intended for someone of about five foot four. Makes it more likely to be a woman.

JOHN: Not a child?

SHERLOCK: A child's would be more expensive. This is in the lower price range, although still best available in that bracket.

JOHN _(muttering)_ : That was a lonely night on Google.

SHERLOCK _(gesturing toward the coffin)_ : This is a practical and informed choice. The balance of probability suggests that this is for an unmarried woman, distant from her close relatives. That is suggested by the economy of choice, acquainted with the process of death, but unsentimental about the necessity of disposal. Also, the lining of the coffin...

 _(While JOHN and SHERLOCK have been talking, MYCROFT searches the room until he finds the lid of the coffin. He reads the inscription there and he shuts his eyes, looking toward the ceiling. He glances back at SHERLOCK with a brief sad look before he puts back on the “ice man”_  )

MYCROFT: Yes, very good, Sherlock. _Or_ we could just look at the name on the lid.

 _(MYCROFT turns the coffin lid around so SHERLOCK can see. SHERLOCK walks back toward him, but stops instantly as soon as he reads it:_ I LOVE YOU _. He shuts his own eyes, looking pained. Slowly he turns around and clings to the edges of the coffin in support - as if he’ll fall over otherwise . His breathing grows ragged as the realization dawns in his eyes )_

MYCROFT: Only it isn’t a name.

_(JOHN reads the engraving for himself. He notices SHERLOCK’s distress and walks to join him by the coffin)_

JOHN: So it’s for somebody who loves somebody.

MYCROFT _(quietly)_ : It’s for someone _Sherlock_ loves. This is all about you, everything here. This is _your_ beloved.

_(He studies SHERLOCK with concern)_

MYCROFT: So who is it? I’m assuming you only have one.

JOHN: Irene Adler?

SHERLOCK _(hoarsely)_ : No, John. Don’t be absurd. _Look_ at the coffin. Unmarried, practical about death, alone.

_(JOHN takes a few seconds before he understands who SHERLOCK means)_

JOHN: Molly.

SHERLOCK: Yes. Molly Hooper.

_(He bites his lip and blinks several times in a clear attempt to keep from crying)_

EURUS _(reassuringly)_ : She's _perfectly_ safe, for the moment.

_(She says the next sentence unemotionally)_

EURUS: Her flat is rigged to explode in approximately three minutes, unless I hear the release code from your lips.

_(MYCROFT’S face fills with exasperation and disbelief. JOHN looks immediately with worry at SHERLOCK who walks away from the coffin toward the screen)_

EURUS: I'm calling her on your phone, Sherlock. Tell her.

_(SHERLOCK understands her meaning immediately. He closes his eyes briefly as if the thought pains him and shakes his head)_

JOHN _(confused)_ : Tell her what?

EURUS: Obvious, surely?

JOHN _(shakes his head)_ : No.

SHERLOCK _(flatly)_ : Yes.

 _(He looks pointedly back at the coffin lid and both MYCROFT and JOHN read it again:_ I LOVE YOU)

EURUS: Oh, one important restriction, you're not allowed to mention in any way at all that her life is in danger. You may not, at any point, suggest that there is any form of crisis and she must believe your declaration. If she does not, I will end this session and her life. Are we clear?

_(SHERLOCK stares at the floor unhappily before he bites his lip and nods, wordlessly giving his consent. EURUS dials Molly’s phone, and the countdown begins. Cameras of MOLLY in her flat’s kitchen fill the screen. MOLLY stands in front of her sink, holding her hair back with her hands. She glances at her counter when she hears her phone ring. Instead of answering, she walks back to the counter and slices up a lemon. Her face is pale and sick, but she still glares at her phone as if she knows exactly who it is - and she doesn’t want to answer. That desire is apparently incomprehensible to SHERLOCK as he watches her with a mixture of confusion and anxiety)_

SHERLOCK: What's she doing?

MYCROFT: She's making tea.

SHERLOCK _(rolls his eyes_ ): Yes, I can see that. But why isn't she answering her phone?

JOHN _(pointedly)_ : You never answer your phone.

SHERLOCK: Yes, but it's _me_ calling.

_(MOLLY’s phone rings one last time before her voicemail picks up. As soon as it does, SHERLOCK’s face fills with something very close to panic, and he paces back and forth in anxiety, rubbing his jaw with one hand)_

MOLLY’s VOICE: Hi, this is Molly at the dead center of town. _(Laughs)_ Leave a message.

EURUS _(conceding_ ): OK, OK. Just one more time.

_(JOHN shifts his weight back and forth anxiously)_

JOHN _(muttering)_ : Go on, Molly, pick up. Just bloody pick up.

_(MOLLY continues to squeeze the lemon into her teacup, but when her phone rings again she stops. She wipes her hands before she takes her phone in her hands, reading the name on her screen. SHERLOCK clasps his hands together with his head bowed, as if he is praying for her to pick up. MOLLY sighs before she finally answers)_

MOLLY: Hello, Sherlock. Is this urgent? Because I am not having a good day.

_(As soon as SHERLOCK hears her voice, he looks back up at the screen. The slightest hint of a smile comes to his face. He takes a second before he finally speaks, clearly uncertain as to what to say)_

SHERLOCK: No...it’s not….it’s not urgent. I’m….I’m sorry about your day. 

_(MOLLY’s face fills with disbelief. Whatever she was expecting, it certainly wasn’t sympathy)_

MOLLY: What?! 

_(For a second, SHERLOCK frowns himself in confusion)_

SHERLOCK _(unsure)_ : I said I’m sorry about your day. Isn’t that an acceptable thing to say to a friend?

MOLLY: No…

_(she closes her eyes briefly as if she needs to review his words in her mind)_

MOLLY: No, I mean, yes. Of course it is.

_(SHERLOCK looks directly at the screen at MOLLY with fondness in his eyes)_

SHERLOCK: And you’re my friend. We’re friends, aren’t we?

MOLLY _(hesitantly_ ): ....Yes.

_(A look of horror mixed with anger crosses her face, and she sounds annoyed once again. She crosses one arm across her chest)_

MOLLY: Do you….Are you _high,_ Sherlock? Because if you are, I _will_ hang up right now.

_(SHERLOCK’s face fills with panic once again)_

SHERLOCK _(desperately)_ : No, Molly, no. _Please_ don’t hang up on me. I’m not high.

_(He presses his lips together)_

SHERLOCK: I….I have something that I need to say to you.

MOLLY _(with a sigh)_ : Well, quickly then.

_(MOLLY begins to fiddle with the towel on the counter distractedly. Her mind is not fully on the conversation at all)_

SHERLOCK: Molly...before I do, I...I…you remember that I said that I’ve always trusted you. Do you trust me?

_(MOLLY stops fiddling with the towel immediately. Her eyes widen in surprise)_

MOLLY: Do I trust you?

_(Both JOHN and MYCROFT are intently watching the scene unfold in front of them. Somehow they know that at this point the conversation between SHERLOCK and MOLLY isn’t about EURUS’ game at all. This is far deeper than that)_

SHERLOCK _(softly)_ : Yes. Do you trust me, Molly?

MOLLY _(equally soft)_ : Yes, I do. With my life, Sherlock.

_(SHERLOCK cringes at her very appropriate choice of words, but he composes himself)_

SHERLOCK _(business-like)_ : Molly, you know that you count to me. You are very...you matter the most.

_(A twinge of disbelief enters MOLLY’s eyes as if she’s heard this before, but still has trouble believing it)_

MOLLY _(a little sadly)_ : Yes, so you’ve said.

SHERLOCK _(haltingly):_ Molly....though I didn’t realize it at the time, that was my way of saying something….something very different.

MOLLY _(wearily)_ : And what’s that?

SHERLOCK: Molly, I-......I-....

_(He breaks off and stares at the floor, biting his lip. MOLLY waits for his response, but when it doesn’t come, her face softens)_

MOLLY _(gently_ ): If there’s anything you need to say or anything you need to tell me, then I’ll listen. Just….just say it, Sherlock.

_(SHERLOCK closes his eyes, mentally preparing himself for what he must do)_

SHERLOCK: I...I love you.

 _(He looks up at the screen once again and the realization dawns in his eyes that this is, in fact, true. JOHN studies MOLLY on the screen before he looks at his friend. He now understand that SHERLOCK_ does _love her. He has_ always _loved her. SHERLOCK repeats the words in a quieter voice)_

SHERLOCK: I love you.

_(MOLLY’s body goes completely still. When SHERLOCK doesn’t hear her say anything, he breaths heavily and his eyes widen in panic)_

SHERLOCK _(desperately)_ : Molly? Molly, _please_. Say...say _something._

_(MOLLY pulls the phone away from her ear and stares at it. Tears form in her eyes as she brings it slowly back up to her ear)_

MOLLY _(blinking back tears)_ : Why are you doing this? Is the riding crop in the morgue?

_(SHERLOCK recognizes this as the code question that they agreed to ask if the other is in danger. He glances at Eurus’ intercom briefly, but he knows that he can’t answer Molly’s question honestly)_

SHERLOCK _(stammering)_ : N-No.

_(MOLLY wipes away a tear with her hand)_

MOLLY _(brokenly)_ : Then why say that to me?

_(She chokes back another sob)_

MOLLY: Why would you say it when you….when you…

_(She breaks off as a new set of tears slip down her cheeks. SHERLOCK sees her tears and the sight threatens to completely undo him. He winces and blinks multiple times. The countdown is down to 0:30)_

SHERLOCK _(as close to begging as he ever gets)_ : Molly, _please_. _Please_ trust me. I mean it.

_(He takes a deep breath before he says the next words)_

SHERLOCK: I do. I love you.

_(MOLLY shuts her eyes and takes a few seconds to decide what to do. She opens her eyes again and smiles faintly)_

MOLLY: Then….then I believe you.

_(Her voice drops to barely above a whisper and she says the next words as if it is a secret between the two of them that she finally can share)_

MOLLY: And….and I love you.

_(The countdown ends at 0:02. SHERLOCK exhales loudly in relief and buries his face in the palms of his hands. Both MYCROFT and JOHN let out sighs of relief as well. MOLLY holds her phone with both her hands thoughtfully. One last tear slips down her cheek, and she closes her eyes. Back in Sherrinford, MYCROFT notices his brother’s distress)_

MYCROFT _(kindly)_ : Sherlock, however hard-.....

_(SHERLOCK ignores his brother and lifts his head to face the screen again)_

SHERLOCK _(tiredly)_ : Eurus, I won. 

_(EURUS says nothing, merely looks at her brother in slight amusement that he would dare to think such a thing. SHERLOCK grows impatient)_

SHERLOCK: I did what you wanted, so play fair. The girl on the plane. I need to talk to her.

_(EURUS still doesn’t answer and SHERLOCK’s voice grows more insistent)_

SHERLOCK: I won! I saved Molly Hooper!

_(EURUS twitches her lips as if she finds the entire matter delightfully funny)_

EURUS: _Saved_ her? From what? Oh, do be sensible, there were no explosives in her little house.

_(SHERLOCK stares at her in growing disbelief)_

EURUS: Why would I be so clumsy? You didn't win, you lost.

_(SHERLOCK’s eyebrows furrow in confusion)_

EURUS: Unknowingly, you proved my hypothesis.

_(SHERLOCK frowns and bites his lip hard. His bewilderment is quickly replaced by another emotion)_

SHERLOCK _(annoyed_ ): Your _hypothesis_? About _what?_

_(EURUS leans back in her chair and looks at her brother in complete satisfaction)_

EURUS: You.

_(SHERLOCK shakes his head and blinks as if he is certain he heard wrong)_

SHERLOCK: What?!

EURUS: Astounding, isn’t it, how much insight a few carefully situated cameras can give you?

_(Slowly, SHERLOCK’s aggravation disappears as he understands exactly what EURUS means. EURUS continues to talk in a very smug voice)_

EURUS: I have observed your interactions with little Miss Hooper for months.

_(She looks up at the ceiling as if she’s confused, but she is clearly not as she looks at SHERLOCK again)_

EURUS: I am not quite sure, but I do believe at one point you were there practically every day - laughing with her, performing experiments with her, talking with her, _needing_ her.

_(She smiles as if she finds this next fact particularly delightful. SHERLOCK, on the other hand, grows more and more deflated with each sentence his sister says)_

EURUS: And _then_ , and _then_ there was that _extremely_ enlightening day, what was it, about two months ago?

_(SHERLOCK closes his eyes as if he knows exactly what’s coming and the words will physically hurt him)_

SHERLOCK _(quietly)_ : Don’t. Just...just don’t.

_(EURUS continues as if she hasn’t heard him at all)_

EURUS: Yes, two months ago precisely - right after the loss of Mrs. Watson. You went to her and she held you as you cried. And then...and then you _kissed_ her.

_(JOHN looks at his friend with a new sympathy because no one ever deserves to have their secrets revealed this way. Even MYCROFT has a worried look on his face)_

EURUS: Of course after that little display, how could I _not_ form the hypothesis that you were indeed in love with Miss Hooper? Then I devised this scenario to test it, which you proved beyond a doubt, by the way.

_(SHERLOCK doesn’t answer. Instead, he stands completely still except for a muscle in his jaw that begins to twitch)_

EURUS: So, no, you didn’t win. You lost. Look what you did to her. Look what you did to yourself. All those complicated little emotions, I lost count.

_(She looks pointedly at him and leans forward)_

EURUS: Emotional context, Sherlock. It destroys you every time because you allow your heart to rule your head. And _this....._

_(she gestures toward the coffin)_

EURUS: .....is your heart.

_(SHERLOCK bites his lip, slowly turns around, and walks away from his sister on the screen. He puts the gun down by the coffin with a thud. He keeps his face completely blank, but the agony of it all still simmers beneath the surface. EURUS sits back in her chair)_

EURUS: Now, please, pull yourself together. I need you at peak efficiency. This next one isn’t going to be so easy.

_(A door slides open in the coffin room)_

EURUS: In your own time.

_(MYCROFT and JOHN walk toward the door, but they both stop and watch SHERLOCK as he carefully puts the lid on top of the coffin)_

JOHN _(worried_ ): Sherlock?

_(SHERLOCK runs his hand tenderly over the engraving and lets out a choked sob as if he just realized how easily he could have lost her)_

SHERLOCK: No. _No._

_(He unbuttons his suit jacket and proceeds to slam his fist into the coffin lid. As he completely eviscerates the coffin, he barely controls his cries of agony. Once it is completely destroyed - and then some - he slumps to the floor in complete and utter defeat. He rests his arms on his knees, breathing heavily. MYCROFT waits in the doorway with his arms crossed, but JOHN walks back toward his friend and picks up the gun)_

JOHN _(gently, but firmly)_ : I know this is difficult, and I know you're being tortured, but you have _got_ to keep it together.

_(SHERLOCK continues to stare at the floor)_

SHERLOCK _(flatly)_ : This isn't torture, this is vivisection. We're experiencing science from the perspective of lab rats.

_(He rests his head against the wall and looks at JOHN)_

SHERLOCK: Soldiers?

JOHN _(nods)_ : Soldiers.

_(He takes a breath before he says the next words)_

JOHN _(softly)_ : For...for Molly.

_(JOHN and SHERLOCK share a meaningful look, and JOHN, while he doesn’t smile, encourages SHERLOCK with his eyes as if to say ‘I will support you in your relationship with MOLLY because I know now what she means to you’. SHERLOCK doesn’t smile either, but he seems to understand what JOHN says because some of the determination comes back to his eyes)_

SHERLOCK _(fondly):_ For Molly.

_(He stops before he says the next words a trifle sadly)_

SHERLOCK: And for...for Mary.

JOHN _(nods sadly)_ : For Mary.

_(JOHN extends his hand to SHERLOCK and helps him up. They both walk toward MYCROFT together. The rest continues like the original episode)_


End file.
